1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a stacked electrical connector assembly protector, and in particular, to a protector that will prevent damage to the leads of a stacked electrical connector assembly.
2. Background Information
Computer systems, for example, typically include a number of circuit boards which are electrically coupled with other circuit boards, input/output devices, or other electrical components. To facilitate this electrical coupling, and to allow the coupled component(s) to be easily removed from a respective circuit board, the circuit board may be provided with electrical connectors that serve as plugs to which the electrical component can be attached.
The conventional electrical connector, such as a so-called right angle connector, is provided with a plurality of leads, each of which is connected, for example, by soldering, to associated wirings of the circuit board. During assembly, the leads are typically inserted through respective holes of a set of holes in the circuit board and then soldered to the wirings.
The right angle connector is so named because the leads extend out of plug (either male or female) of the connector, which is arranged parallel to the surface of the circuit board, and are then directed downward, at a right angle, toward the surface of the circuit board, for connecting thereto. A corresponding electrical component can then be mated to the plug of the connector, using a cable, for example, in a known manner.
A current goal in the design of computers and computer peripherals, as well as other types of instruments, is reduction of size. Consequently, components such as electrical connectors have undergone dramatic changes in size. For example, the aforementioned right angle connectors have been miniaturized in size to reduce the amount of space needed to accommodate it. However, the mounting of even a miniaturized electrical connector requires a significant portion of the space on a given sized printed circuit board because the leads of the electrical connector are typically arranged in staggered rows of standard spacing, and because the electrical connector typically includes ears for receipt of mounting screws or other fastening means. The rows of the leads are typically spaced sufficiently apart to ensure against shorting among the leads during soldering.
Often a single printed circuit board will require a number of different electrical connectors. A board may, for example, be required to communicate with more than one outside instrument. Mounting of each succeeding electrical connector to a board further limits the possible size reduction of the circuit board, as well as limiting the design freedom in the routing of various signal paths via the wirings on the circuit board. Of course, it may possible to use a single electrical connector which is larger but which has a sufficient number of contact elements to couple all of the signal paths to and from a board. However, such a practice would require a specifically constructed cable which could branch off the signals to various circuit boards or instruments, as needed.
Thus, to economically use the limited space on a printed circuit board, so-called stacked electrical connector assemblies are now popularly used in the computer field. A typical stacked electrical connector assembly includes upper and lower electrical connectors connected together in superposed relationship, so as to provide two or more interface ports to a circuit board without consuming on the circuit board twice the area required for a single electrical connector. That is, the stacked electrical connector assembly uses substantially the same circuit board space as would a single electrical connector, but without the disadvantage of requiring a specially constructed cable or other special equipment for branching off various signals to multiple boards or instruments communicating through the electrical component.
Typically, both the lower electrical connector and the upper electrical connector of the stacked electrical connector assembly are right angle connectors, and are connected together using a variety of means. For example, one known stacked electrical connector assembly includes two 9 pin D-shell board mounted connectors, with the lower electrical connector being mounted directly on the surface of the printed circuit board, and the upper electrical connector being disposed on brackets, and over the lower electrical connector. Further, as will be appreciated, the leads of the upper electrical connector must extend a greater distance before reaching the surface of the circuit board than the leads of the lower electrical connector. Thus, the leads of the upper electrical connector are typically substantially longer than the leads of the lower electrical connector.
Moreover, it is conventional to leave the leads of the upper electrical connector substantially exposed. One reason for this is that, to facilitate the manufacturing process and reduce expenses, the upper electrical connector of a stacked electrical connector assembly is typically just a standard right angle connector with longer leads. Since the leads of the conventional single electrical connector are so short as to not need any type of cover or protector, it logically followed that the upper electrical connector likewise would not be provided with any type of lead protection device.
Further, by leaving the leads exposed, it is easier to align the ends of the leads with their respective holes formed in the circuit board. If the leads were covered during the manufacturing stage, and one or more of the leads was offset relative to its respective hole, it would be difficult, at best, to properly attach the stacked electrical connector assembly to the printed circuit board.
However, the exposed leads of the upper electrical connector, because they extend such a great distance, are susceptible to damage due to inadvertent contact with a tool, hand, or electrical component, for example, during a manufacturing stage of the computer, or by an end user. As is well known, a long lead is easier to deform than a short lead. Thus, inadvertent contact with the exposed long lead may cause the lead to shear and break, or come into contact with an adjacent lead, causing a short. Therefore, there is a need for a stacked electrical connector assembly protector that will protect the leads of an electrical connector from damage.
Furthermore, since the conventional stacked electrical connector assembly rises well above the surface of the circuit board, often a user may find it convenient to pick up the circuit board simply by grasping the stacked electrical connector assembly. Unless this is done in a careful manner, the user is likely to squeeze the exposed leads, causing them to bend, thus damaging the stacked electrical connector assembly. Thus, there is a need for an arrangement that will allow the conventional stacked electrical connector assembly to be securely grasped, without damaging the leads.
Moreover, since the manufactured conventional stacked electrical connector assembly is typically sold with exposed leads, there is a need for a protector that can be retrofitted for utilization with a conventional stacked electrical connector assembly.
Further, there is a need for a protector that can be easily and quickly attached to a conventional stacked electrical connector assembly, without modifying or altering the stacked electrical connector assembly in any manner.
Additionally, there is a need for a protector that can be easily and quickly removed from a conventional stacked electrical connector assembly, without damaging, modifying or altering the stacked electrical connector assembly in any manner.